UMES Hosts 11th Annual Health and Wellness Festival

PRINCESS ANNE, MD - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore hosts its 11th annual Health and Wellness Festival on Wednesday, March 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Services Center ballroom. Health exhibits, screenings and information will be provided by over 60 businesses, community agencies, health organizations and university representatives.

"Our goal is to disperse information promoting health and prevention to UMES students, faculty, and staff as well as to community members," said Janet Mutschler, event coordinator and academic coordinator of clinical education in the UMES Department of Physical Therapy.

Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Atlantic General Hospital, the McCready Foundation, the Somerset County Health Department and many other local organizations will be present. Healthy-U of Delmarva, a non-profit health-promoting organization, will also participate in the festival. Healthy-U offers discounts at local businesses, weekly walks, access to Salisbury University's University Fitness Club and much more to college students, faculty and staff, and community members. The organization encourages festival participants to sign up for its free services.

Festival participants will also have the opportunity to receive the first free cholesterol, blood glucose and prostate cancer screenings offered in eight years, all courtesy of Atlantic General Hospital. For the cholesterol and blood glucose screenings, participants are required to fast for 12 hours prior to the time of the screening. The Somerset County Health Department will have five educational displays. Other screenings offered for the day include body mass index, blood pressure, osteoporosis and diabetes, while information addressing nutrition, fitness, mental illness, drug and alcohol awareness, cancer awareness, smoking cessation, and HIV and birth defects will be available.

The UMES Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Center and the Tobacco Control Resource Center are sponsors of the free event. The Charles R. Drew Student Health Center, UMES Health and Wellness Center, and the departments of Physical Therapy, Human Ecology, Physician Assistant, Exercise Science, and Human Resources will join exhibitors for the event. Interactive demonstrations will be held and door prizes will be awarded throughout the day.

For more information about the Health and Wellness Festival, call (410) 651-6301.